By Ed Leahy at Aviva Stadium
Ireland 7-0 Gibraltar
Robbie Keane hit a first-half hat-trick as Ireland romped to a 7-0 Euro 2016 Group D qualifier victory over Gibraltar at Aviva Stadium.
Martin O’Neill’s side just missed out on equalling Ireland's all-time biggest win - 8-0 against Malta in 1983 - but made light work of their opposition as the Ireland captain’s 12-minute triple ensured the points were secured with just 18 minutes played.
Second-half goals from Wes Hoolahan, an own goal from the Gibraltar keeper Jordan Perez and a brace from James McClean completed the rout as O’Neill’s men head to Germany on Tuesday full of confidence.
The scene was set for an exhibition from Ireland as early as the second minute as Stephen Ward skipped down the left flank and clipped a sublime cross into the six-yard box.
Keeper Perez would get to see a lot of the action over the following 58 minutes and his first call to arms was Ward’s testing cross, which was punched clear.
Ireland should have opened the scoring two minutes later when another cross from the left found Hoolahan arriving at the back post, but his header was weak and it sailed over the bar.
But the magic is not in Hoolahan’s head, rather his feet, and the Norwich playmaker atoned with an inch-perfect pass to Aiden McGeady who was arriving in from the right wing.
The ever-improving Everton winger picked the right option and played the perfect pass to Keane who had a simple tap-in to open the scoring.
Perez was back in the thick of it three minutes later as McClean found himself in space in front of goal but his well-struck effort produced a fine save from the Gibraltar keeper.
But the contest was over minutes later as Keane completed the hat-trick; first with a fine finish following another precision pass from Hoolahan and his third coming from the penalty spot as Hoolahan was fouled following in on Keane’s effort that was spilled by the keeper.
It took 20 minutes for the visitors to make any sort of impact inside the Irish half as Lee Casciaro ran at John O’Shea but he was eventually crowded out as he made his way into the Irish box.
That was as good as it got for the English colony as they allowed Ireland to play all around them as McGeady and Hoolahan again came close before the break with Perez keeping the scoreline slightly respectable.
That respectability was blown away in ten minutes of madness at the start of the second half.
McClean made it four within a minute of the restart following Keane's mazy run at the retreating Gibraltar defence, as the Wigan man followed in to tap the ball home.
Three minutes later the ball was in the back of Perez's net once again as Gibson’s free was glanced home by a visiting defender.
The Everton free-taker stood statuesque; it was either an homage to Eric Cantona or he was first to spot the linesman’s flag ruling the goal out as O’Shea was deemed to be in an offside position. There were few complaints from the Irish.
If one sequence of play was to sum up this very one-sided Aviva affair, it was Ireland's fifth goal.
The Irish players smelt blood and were queuing up to put the ball into the back of the net as Hendrick set up Keane, before Hoolahan smashed the rebound off an outstretched Gibraltarian leg.
The danger looked to be cleared but Perez, getting back into position, managed to scoop the ball home.
McClean was really starting to enjoy himself, arriving at every opportunity in off the left flank, and he was rewarded in the 53rd minute as he anticipated the, by now demoralised, keeper parrying the ball as he stabbed home Ireland’s sixth.
Number seven came as Hoolahan danced into the box, looking to set up Keane, but the pass never looked on, allowing the former Shelbourne man to go it alone and smash the ball past the hapless Perez.
Perez was put out of his misery with 60 minutes on the clock and the visiting keeper left the pitch to a standing ovation from the 35,000 fans who were enjoying the festival atmosphere, now Mexican-waving around the arena.
The players could sense that history was within their grasp as they pushed on for the magic number eight, even though the crowd were calling for ten. The lively Gibraltar contingent were shouting for one.
And they almost got it, as a fine Joseph Chipolina header forced David Forde into action for the first time in the game, and the Millwall man was somewhat lucky, as the captains header hit Forde's head and went over the bar.
Ireland huffed and puffed for the remaining minutes, but the elusive eighth did not arrive and the class of ’83, no doubt, breathed a collective sigh of relief, knowing that their record remains intact, until the next meeting of these two sides, at least.
Republic of Ireland: David Forde; David Meyler, Marc Wilson, John O’Shea, Stephen Ward (Robbie Brady 70); Aiden McGeady, Darron Gibson, Jeff Hendrick, James McClean; Wes Hoolahan (Kevin Doyle 63), Robbie Keane (capt) (Daryl Murphy 63).
Gibraltar: Jordan Perez (Jamie Robba 60); Scott Wiseman, Ryan Casciaro, Roy Chipolina (capt), Joseph Chipolina; Aaron Payas, Jake Gosling, Liam Walker, Rafael Bado (Robert Gulling HT), Brian Perez; Lee Casciaro.
Referee: Leontios Trattou (Cyprus)
